Miniature rose plant named `Poulit`

ABSTRACT

A new variety of miniature rose suitable for garden decoration, having flowers of light pink coloration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of miniature rose.The varietal denomination of the new variety is `Poulit`. The plant is acompact miniature bush cultivated for outdoor garden decoration. It has`Egeskov` as its seed parent and an unnamed, undisseminated seedling asits pollen parent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the features which distinguish the new variety from otherpresently available and known commercial rose cultivars are thefollowing combination of characteristics: its very abundant bloom, itslow compact rounded bush habit, its very full petalage flowers of oldgarden rose form, its low pistil count, and its blush color on thestipules. `Poulit` may be asexually propagated by cuttings, budding, orgrafting.

Asexual reproduction of the new variety as performed by budding in KernCounty and Upland, Calif., shows that the foregoing and otherdistinguishing characteristics come true to form and are established andtransmitted through succeeding propagations.

COMPARISON WITH PARENT VARIETIES

The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, `Egeskov` by thefollowing combination of characteristics: whereas `Poulit` is classifiedas a miniature with proportionately small flowers, foliage and planthabit, `Egeskov` is classified as a Floribunda with significantly largerflowers, foliage and plant habit. Whereas `Egeskov` bears flowers of avery light pink to cream coloration, the new seedling bears flowers of asignificantly darker pink coloration.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, anundisseminated seedling, by the following combination ofcharacteristics: whereas `Poulit` bears full petaled flowers of a pinkcoloration, the seedling pollen parent bears flowers with significantlylower petalage and light cream to pink coloration. The seedling pollenplant has dark green foliage, whereas the new variety has foliage of asignificantly lighter coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATION

The accompanying photograph illustrates the plant in color and shows theflowering thereof from bud to full bloom depicted in color as nearlycorrect as it is possible to make in a color illustration of thecharacter. Throughout this specification, color values are based uponthe Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England,except where common terms of color definition are employed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following description is of rose plants of the new cultivar grownoutdoors in Upland, Calif. in the month of September. Phenotypicexpression may vary with environmental, cultural and climaticconditions, as well as differences in conditions of light and soil.

FLOWER

The new variety bears its flowers sometimes singly, but usually three ormore per stem. Flowers are borne in irregular, rounded clusters on shortstems (about 5 to about 12 cm), for the class. Outdoors the plant bloomsvery abundantly and nearly continuously during the growing season. Theflowers have a light fragrance of fresh cut apples.

BUD

The peduncle is of normal length for the class (about 3 to about 4 cm),of normal caliper, and usually erect. It is usually smooth with somestipitate glands. Peduncle color is between 146B and 137D, sometimesvery lightly suffused with near 184C.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is of medium size for the class (about0.8 to about 1.3 cm in diameter at the widest point), short to medium inlength (about 2 to about 2.5 cm), and pointed to ovoid in shape. Thesurface of the bud is very smooth bearing a very light glandular bloom,usually with slender entire foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip ofthe bud equal to about 1/2 or more of its length. Bud color is between146C and 137C.

The inner surface of the sepals is covered with fine wooly tomentum;sepal margins are lined with some stipitate glands and many hairs.

As the petals open, the bud is of medium size for the class (about 1 toabout 1.4 cm in diameter at the widest point), short to medium in length(about 1.7 to about 2 cm), and somewhat flat-topped to globular in form.The color of the under surface of the newly opened petals is between 52Dand 55C. The color of the upper surface of the newly opened petals isbetween 49B and 55C. At the very base where the petals attach is asmall-to-medium sized zone of near 4C. The bud opens up well and is notprevented from opening by wet, cold, hot or dry weather.

BLOOM

When fully open, the bloom is of medium size for the class, ranging fromabout 3.5 to about 5 cm in diameter. Petalage is very double with about37 to 45 petals and about 5 to 8 petaloids arranged regularly. Whenpartially open, the bloom form is moderately flat-to-cupped and thepetals are tightly cupped to imbricated with petal edges somewhat rolledoutward. When fully open, the bloom form is more cupped and full and thepetals are more loosely cupped-to-flat with petal edges somewhat rolledoutward.

PETALS

The petals are of good substance and medium thickness, with upper andunder surfaces slightly satiny. The outer petals are broadly oval toobovate in shape with rounded apices. The intermediate petals aremoderately obovate in shape with rounded to slightly mucronate apices.The inner petals are very narrowly obovate in shape withmucronate-to-acute apices.

NEWLY OPENED FLOWER

The under surface of the outer, intermediate and inner petals is between55C and 55B. The upper surface of the outer, intermediate and innerpetals is between 55D and 56A. At the very base where the petals attachis a small to medium sized zone of near 4D.

The general tonality of the newly opened flower is between 55D and 56A.

THREE DAY OLD FLOWER

The under and upper surface of the outer and inner petals is between 56Dand 56C. At the very base where the petals attach is a small zone ofnear 155A.

The general tonality of the three day old flower is between 56D and 56C.

The petals usually drop off the spent blooms cleanly and are notparticularly affected by cold, hot, wet, or dry weather.

In September in Upland, Calif., blooms on the bush growing outdoorsgenerally last from four or more days. Cut roses grown outdoors and keptat normal indoor living temperatures generally last four or more days.

MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Stamens are few to average in number and are arranged regularly aboutthe pistils; a few are mixed with petaloids or tucked in the calyx. Thefilaments are of irregular length, most with anthers. The anthers aresmall to medium sized for the class and all open approximately at thesame time. Anther color is near 16B when immature and near 164A atmaturity. Pollen is sparse and near 4C in color.

FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

Pistils are very few in number (approximately 18). The styles are ofmedium length, uneven, of normal caliper, and loosely bunched. Stigmacolor is near 16D. Style color is near 16D sometimes suffused with 50C.Ovaries are usually all enclosed in the calyx.

Hips are globular to nearly round in form, and heavily suffused withnear 169B in color when ripe. The hip surface is very smooth withmoderately thick fleshy walls. The sepals fall away quickly. Seeds arefew in number (approximately 6 to 8), and small in size.

FOLIAGE

The compound leaves are usually comprised of three to five, andsometimes seven, leaflets and are borne abundantly. The leaves are ofmedium size for the class (about 4 to about 7 cm in length and about 3to about 4.5 cm in width at the widest point), normal to heavy intexture, and somewhat semi-glossy to matte in finish. The leaflets areof medium size for the class (about 1.4 to about 2.2 cm in length andabout 1 to about 1.5 cm in width at the widest point), shaped somewhatround to oval with acute apices and rounded bases. Margins are usuallyserrate.

The upper surface of the mature leaf is between 137A and 138B. The undersurface of the mature leaf is between 138B and 191B. The upper surfaceof the young leaf is between 146C and 137C, sometimes lightly suffusedwith near 184B. The under surface of the young leaf is near 146D,sometimes lightly suffused with near 184C.

The rachis is light to normal in caliper and usually smooth and groovedwith few hairs and stipitate glands on the edges of the upper side. Theunder side of the rachis is smooth with few hairs and stipitate glandsand 1 to 2 very small prickles.

The stipules are medium to long, and medium width with medium to longstraight points that usually turn out at an angle of more than 45degrees. The under and upper side of the stipules at the point ofattachment to the stem are blushed with near 184C.

The plant displays an above average degree of resistance to powderymildew and rust as compared to other commercial varieties grown undercomparable conditions in Upland, Calif.

GROWTH

The plant has a dwarf bushy compact rounded habit of low height (about30 to 40 cm in height and spread at the widest point), with very fullbranching. It displays moderately vigorous growth and the canes are oflight to medium caliper for the class.

The color of the major stems is between 138A and 147B. They bear fewmedium to large prickles for the class which are medium length to long(about 0.4 to about 0.6 cm). The prickles are very straight with amedium length narrow base; prickle color is between 175C and 180C. Themajor stems bear no small prickles.

The color of the branches is between 146C and 137C. They bear somemedium to large prickles for the class which are medium to long (about0.4 to about 0.6 cm). The prickles are very straight with a mediumlength narrow base; prickle color is between 175C and 180C. The branchesbear no small prickles.

The color of the new shoots is between 146B and 137D often lightlysuffused with near 184C. They bear some medium to large prickles for theclass which are medium length to long (about 0.4 to about 0.6 cm). Theprickles are very straight with a medium length narrow base; pricklecolor is near 184D. The new shoots bear few small prickles.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of miniature rose plantsubstantially as described and illustrated herein.